Register of Deeds



 

EFFECTIVE JUNE 25, 2010 RECORDING FEES ARE CHANGING!
SEE 2010 FEE CHANGE LETTER TO THE RIGHT UNDER DOCUMENTS



The Register of Deeds files, records, and issues instruments and documents of significance both to the community as a whole and to its individual citizens. Vital records document the span of our lives from birth to death. Land records documenting title in Washington County are maintained.

The filing or recording of other documents with the Register of Deeds is a way of putting the world on notice that something important has happened or will happen. The time of the act or transaction is often an important element in rights or relationships. The Register of Deeds records the time when, in effect, the public record is established

Recorded documents in the Register of Deeds Office are a matter of public record and can be inspected by anyone during regular business hours.  No appointments are necessary.

Genealogy and historical real estate records are available back to the mid-1800's.

**Please note:  For the safety of our customers, access to the searching area for real estate and genealogy purposes is restricted to individuals who are actively searching.  No one under the age of 12 years old is allowed in the vault area of our office.  Insurance liability restrictions require that we strictly adhere to this policy - no exceptions will be allowed.

* 2010 HOLIDAY SCHEDULE *
The Washington County Courthouse will be CLOSED on the following days.  The last recording day for 2010 will be Wednesday, December 29 by 4:00 pm.  Documents received after 4:00 pm will not be recorded until Monday, January 3, 2011.
New Year's Day                          Friday, January 1, 2010
Memorial Day                             Monday, May 31, 2010
Independence Day                     Monday, July 5, 2010
Labor Day                                   Monday, September 6, 2010
Thanksgiving Day                      Thursday, November 25, 2010
Day after Thanksgiving              Friday, November 26, 2010
Christmas Eve                           Thursday, December 23, 2010
Christmas Day                           Friday, December 24, 2010
New Year's Eve                         Thursday, December 30, 2010
New Year's Day                         Friday, December 31, 2010
Birth, Death, Marriage & Declaration of Domestic Partnership Records
  • Vital records such as Birth, Death, Marriage and Declaration of Domestic Partnership certificates are filed in our office as long as the event took place in Washington County, Wisconsin.
  • Genealogy and historical records are available back until the mid-1800's.

To contact our office with a question pertaining to a specific Birth, Death, Marriage or Declaration of Domestic Partnership record that is on file with our office, please call (262)335-4321 or send an e-mail to our Vital Records Clerk.

Click here to e-mail to our Vital Records Clerk E-Mail Vital Records Clerk.

To obtain a certified copy of a Birth, Death, Marriage or Declaration of Domestic Partnership record, please contact the Register of Deeds in the county where the event took place. 

Wisconsin State Statute 69 directs that certified copies can only be issued to persons with "Direct and Tangible Interest" in the record. Your relationship to the person named in the record must be one of the following:

  • The person named on the record.
  • The parent of the person named on the record
  • The legal custodian or guardian of the person named in the record.
  • A member of the immediate family (spouse, child, brother, sister or grandparent)
  • An agent representing the person named in the record.

**CLICK HERE TO ORDER VITAL RECORDS VIA INTERNET**

For your convenience, you can process online requests through an independent company that Washington County Register of Deeds has partnered with to provide you this service; VitalChek Network, Inc. VitalChek can be reached through their website. An additional fee is charged by VitalChek for this service, and all major credit cards are accepted, including American Express®, Discover®, MasterCard® or Visa®.


Fee Schedule

EFFECTIVE JUNE 25, 2010

The following NEW recording fees apply statewide pursuant to Wis. Stats. s. 59.43(2)(ag)1 &
59.43(2)(e) & 59.72(5).
  All documents received for recording in our office MUST be accompanied with the correct fees.  

  • All documents are $30, regardless of the number of pages.  This includes, but is not limited to: Termination of Joint Tenancy; Transfer on Death to Beneficiary; Change of Name & Registration of Firm Name
  • All Subdivision and Condominium plats are $50.
  • All Transportation Project Plats are $25 per plat.
  • Federal Tax Liens are $30.
  • See "Documents" link to the right for additional information.

Real Estate Records
  • In order to be binding upon all parties, real estate documents must be recorded.  These types of documents include deeds, mortgages, satisfactions, certified survey maps, condominium and subdivision plats, along with declarations affecting the maps.
  • Documents recorded in the Register of Deeds office are a matter of public record and can be inspected by anyone during regular business hours.
  • Documents received between 8am-4pm are recorded the same day they are received.
  • Original documents that have been recorded are returned in three business days.

    Please be advised that effective July 1, 2009, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue will only accept Wisconsin Real Estate Tranfer Returns which are electronically filed.  Please see "Most Requested Links" to the right. 

    Click here to access land records via internet